Review Summary: 'I was so free, nothing could touch me.' - If only.
Devics are an intriguing piece to behold. Hardly unique, presenting familiar material to those of similar calibre, much of what you see here is already explored ground by other well established artists. In our current age of music, this is a factor that becomes relevant to virtually any artist, new or not. Everything seems to have already been done before, making the terms 'fresh' and 'innovative' practically redundant. Yet, this does very little to lessen the actual impact
Push The Heart has; it still remains a neatly compiled collection of material that, for better or worse, will 'push the heart' in one way or another. It's an album that focuses on within, the mysteries of our kind and kin, our lovers and those we have loved.
The approach here is delicate; even in its darkest moments, restraint is consistently applied. This is evident right from the start, as the sweetly delivered lyrics of introductory track, 'Lie to Me', describe a back and forth relationship slowly dissolving but with no attempt to resolve or acknowledge it; "don't think of what we can't be. Lie to me. Make that you love me." It's a beautiful, desperate invention, adhering to neither truth nor logic, instead driven by loneliness and longing. The next two tracks continue this trend by remaining remarkably forlorn; the lyrics of 'A Secret Message to You' embody a romantic message overall, but the delivery and theme of the track keeps itself introverted, hiding within a crooning vocal performance aching with exhaustion regarding the whole affair; the emotion is still there, yet the substance isn't. Whatever was is no longer. A strange mixture of typewriter clicks and piano keys accompany what stands as one of the most curiously composed tracks of the album. Following track 'Salty Seas' continues this brooding tone, and what follows is a beautifully written down-tempo piano and acoustic guitar backed ballad. This is where the vocal performance is massively highlighted - it's a simple yet spectacular piece, keeping things from complicating themselves too much to wonderful effect.
Marking a shift in the albums pacing and tone, 'Song for a Sleeping Girl' and 'If We Cannot See' bring forth a slightly lighter heart to current events, with 'If We Cannot See' in particular featuring as one of the most indie rock-esque songs on the album. It's a refreshing change of pace, with more soulful performances and allowing the instrumentalists on the album a little more room to breath. In between these two tracks, however, is jazz-inspired ballad 'Moments', and while harkening back to previous themes of loss and devastation, the mood of the track is primarily reflective, focusing on the 'moments' and an undying truth - nothing is lasting. We exist in the here and now; "and you die just to get what you want, but what for?" The track dreamily slips by, and easily stands as one of the strongest songs of the album, maintaining its own identity instead of being drowned out by already previously somber tracks.
The third and final act of the album generally continues the flow of the second, gently easing back and forth between uplifting to all-consuming. 'City Lights' easily stands as the happiest song on the album, with mellow instrumentation lullaby lyrics drifting through the track soothingly in blissful manner. 'Come Up' again takes on a style akin to jazz, with lyrics such as "it's all fake but I love to dream, and to feel everything" tenderly pondering an ever-shifting internal struggle. 'Distant Radio' and 'Just One Breath' end the album on a higher energy - the indie rock delayed electric guitar and mid-tempo drum beat aim for a bigger, more bombastic sound than before, and Devics utilise the style to fantastic effect. As has been present for the majority of the album, the vocal performance carries the tracks in an effective, yet conservative manner, never too over the top or unnecessary. This is what see to give Devics their greatest characteristic; despite in some places somewhat repeating themselves, and slightly lacking for variety in regards to overall style, it all feels genuine.
If 'pushing the heart' is what they aimed for, for the most part Devics succeeded. It's hard to say too much of a bad word about the album as much of it does remain in similar territory, and this could potentially be a factor that may bore certain listeners. It's a well constructed album and impactful simply by nature; the subject material is massively relatable, while keeping things vague enough that allows for ones own interpretation. As mentioned before, captivating though Devics may be, the album contains much well-trodden ground already, and this remains the Achilles-heel of the album, but regardless of this,
Push The Heart still stands as one of the most enjoyable indie-rock albums around. Whether it maintains any kind of lasting effect in the long run, is another story.
